Texas State Highway 45

Infobox TX State Highway
type=State
route=45

---

shields=
length_mi=11.482
length_ref=TxDOT|SH|45|accessdate=2008-04-07]
length_round=3
formed=1985
dir1=West
dir2=East
from=South: jct|state=TX|RM|1826 in Austin
North: jct|state=TX|RM|620 in Austin
junction=North: jct|state=TX|Toll|1
North: jct|state=TX|I|35
to=South: jct|state=TX|SL|1 in Austin
North: jct|state=TX|Toll|130 in Austin
previous_type=Interstate
previous_route=45
next_type=State
next_route=46

State Highway 45 is a planned highway loop around Austin, Texas that exists in two open segments. The official designation of SH 45 is such to form a complete loop around Austin, a distance of roughly 80 miles.

One segment is in southwest Austin and runs roughly southeast from Ranch to Market Road 1826 to the southern terminus of Loop 1 (Mopac Expressway). The roadway is a divided, four-lane facility with a wide median to accommodate future upgrade to a freeway, after which the current lanes would serve as frontage roads.

The northern segment is a tolled freeway that runs east from its intersection with U.S. Highway 183 in northwest Austin to State Highway 130 to the northeast. SH 45 is co-designated with SH 130 south to SH 130's current terminus at US 183 near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (Sections of SH 130 are still under construction.).

Toll road expansion

SH 45 North is an approximately 13-mile, tolled freeway in the north Austin metropolitan area. The Texas Department of Transportation financed its construction through the 2002 Central Texas Turnpike Project (CTTP). TxDOT originally planned to complete construction of the 2002 CTTP around September 2007 but opened some sections of SH 45 North as early as October 31, 2006.

The freeway's western terminus is at US 183 at Ranch to Market Road 620 northwest of Austin in Cedar Park, Texas. Heading east, it intercepts the Loop 1 northern terminus. For a distance, RM 620 travels concurrently with the expressway frontage roads co-designated as State Highway 45 (non-tolled). It crosses Interstate 35 and terminates at SH 130 northeast of Austin.

SH 45 Southeast is a planned 7.4-mile toll road southeast of Austin near Creedmoor, Texas. It is planned as a four lane, controlled-access facility that will link the SH 130/SH 45 southern terminus at US 183 to Interstate 35 north of Buda, Texas. It will roughly parallel Farm to Market Road 1327.

In 2006, development of the highway was delayed by a lawsuit filed by the environmental advocacy group Save Our Springs Alliance. By the summer of the same year, the Federal Highway Administration approved a new environmental impact study brought about by the lawsuit; a federal judge dismissed the case, clearing the way for construction of SH 45 Southeast, which could begin as early as the summer of 2007. Under optimal conditions, the roadway could be completed by the end of 2008.

SH 45 Southwest is a proposed toll road that would link the existing non-tolled State Highway 45 terminus at Loop 1 to Ranch to Market Road 1826 to the east. Even if built, SH 45 Southwest would not connect to the other tolled segments of the highway. A segment between RM 1626 and SH 45 Southeast at Interstate 35 would be necessary to do so.

This missing link was one source of controversy surrounding the alignment of SH 45 Southeast. Opponents claimed the proximity of the southwestern and southeastern sections would create more pressure to connect the two and that if built, the link would encourage development on or near environmentally sensitive lands.

History of the SH 45 designation

, the stretch from Jasper to the Louisiana border transferred to State Highway 63 (Texas)
SH 63, and the section from Roan's Prairie to Huntsville redirected north to Crockett. In 1960, the stretch from Huntsville to Crockett was transferred to SH 19. The next year, the rest of SH 45 was cancelled and transferred to SH 30.

External links

* [http://www.centraltexasturnpike.org/ CTTS: Central Texas Turnpike System]
* [http://www.sh45se.org/ SH 45 Southeast]

References

*cite web
url = http://www.centraltexasturnpike.org/sh45n/default.aspx
title = SH 45 North: General Information
work = Toll road
publisher = Central Texas Turnpike System
accessdate = 2006-10-18

*cite web
url = http://www.sh45se.org/
title = SH 45 Southeast
work = Toll road
publisher = Texas Department of Transportation
accessdate = 2006-10-18

*Wear, Ben. [http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/11/29/29tollroad.html Fifth toll road clears legal hurdles] . "Austin American-Statesman", accessed December 14, 2006.

*cite web
url = http://www.ctrma.org/?menu_id=36
title = Future Projects
work = Toll road
publisher = Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority
accessdate = 2006-12-15